1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the overall technical field of agricultural machinery. It relates more specifically to a mower comprising:
a frame,
a cutting mechanism supported by said frame, and
a mechanism for grouping windrows comprising a longitudinal conveying device and a transverse conveying device.
2. Discussion of the Background
Such a mower is known in the state of the art. Indeed, VICON""s xe2x80x9cKMT/KMR 2400-3000-3200xe2x80x9d brochure describes a trailed conditioning mower equipped with a belt-type grouper. In a way known to those skilled in the art, this mower comprises a cutting mechanism connected to a frame resting on the ground by means of two wheels. The belt-type grouper, arranged behind the cutting mechanism, is also supported by the frame. The cutting mechanism is intended to cut a standing product, for example grass. For its part, the grouper advantageously allows the product cut in at least two consecutive passes of the mower to be grouped together into a single windrow. What happens is that, during a first pass, the grouper of this known machine is pivoted upward into an inactive position. The product cut by the cutting mechanism is therefore deposited on the ground in the continuation of the mower. During a second pass, the grouper is lowered into an active position. In this case, the product cut by the cutting mechanism is transported, by means of the belt-type grouper, to be deposited to the side of the mower and onto the windrow from the first pass.
In this known machine, the grouper is made up of a first belt running along a longitudinal axis of the mower and of a second belt arranged transversely to the mower. The first belt is intended to convey the forage from the cutting mechanism to deposit it onto the second belt. The latter in turn transports the forage to deposit it on the ground to the side of the mower. To this end, the first belt is produced by means of an endless belt wrapped around two cylinders. One of the cylinders, the axis of which is substantially horizontal, is arranged behind the cutting mechanism. The second cylinder, identical to the first cylinder, is, for its part, arranged above the second belt.
This known embodiment of a longitudinal conveying device does, however, have a drawback. Specifically, in order to convey all of the cut product, the first belt is practically as wide as the cutting mechanism. In the case of mowers with wide cutting widths, it is then commonplace for the width of the first belt to exceed the distance between the two cylinders of which it is made. Such a configuration makes the endless belt difficult to guide over the cylinders. During work, this belt has a tendency to slip along the axis of said cylinders and therefore to rub against the structure of the grouper. This rubbing reduces the performance of the grouper and may even lead to tearing of the endless belt.
The purpose of the present invention is to overcome this drawback of the state of the art.
To this end, the mower according to the present invention is one wherein said longitudinal conveying device comprises at least one roller, the longitudinal axis of which is substantially perpendicular to a direction of forward travel of said mower, driven in rotation about said longitudinal axis so that its periphery transports the product, cut by the cutting mechanism, toward the rear of said mower. Thus, said mower does not have the drawback, described hereinabove, associated with the use of a very wide belt.